Reports of the death of marriage equality in Canada have been greatly exaggerated, it seems, as both American civil-rights groups and the Canadian government itself are repudiating the suggestion that same-sex marriages performed for foreigners are invalid in the Great White North.

“No one’s marriage has been invalidated or is likely to be invalidated,” read a joint statement filed by the ACLU, Freedom to Marry, Lambda Legal and other LGBT groups. “The position taken by one government lawyer in a divorce is not itself precedential. No court has accepted this view and there is no reason to believe that either Canada’s courts or its Parliament would agree with this position, which no one has asserted before during the eight years that same-sex couples have had the freedom to marry in Canada.”

Nearly a third of the 15,000 same-sex weddings performed in Canada were between two non-Canadians. For some it was merely symbolic—others live in jurisdictions that haven’t legalized gay marriages but that respect those performed elsewhere.

“We have no intention further of opening or reopening this issue,” Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper told the Canadian Press. “This, I gather, is a case before the courts where Canadian lawyers have taken particular positions based on the law. But I will be asking officials to provide me more details with this particular case.”

“I want to make it clear that in our government’s view, these marriages are valid.” Justice Minister Rob Nicholson said in the Globe and Mail.

I was married in Toronto a few years back. When I crossed back into the States and we got into the “married” line, the border guard scoffed, “Not in States, dudes. Obama hasn’t evolved.”

He was sympathetic and sarcastic. It wasn’t his first gay rodeo.

Jan 13, 2012 at 1:17 pm · @Reply ·

Frank

I love Canada….those Mounties in red uniforms are hot!!!!

Jan 13, 2012 at 2:09 pm · @Reply ·

Jose

I also married in Toronto June 2005. We knew going into it that our marriage would not be recognized in the states and knew the requirements for divorce in Canada. Both my husband and I went through all the imotions yesterday of our marriage possibly being invalidated.

I know no matter the outcome, we are married in the eyes of our friends and family. Maybe we will renew our vows in NYc this year.

Jan 13, 2012 at 2:10 pm · @Reply ·

David Gervais

Just posted at the CBC:
“Conservatives to change civil marriage law
Non-resident gay marriages should be valid, justice minister says”

Actually, this was a trial balloon by the CPC, and Harper in the PMO. The objective was to see how people would react. The world went ballistic, so now they’re changing course. If there hadn’t been so many pissed off people, the invalidation would have gone full steam ahead.

This is how the CPC works–slowly chip away at what they don’t like, until there’s nothing left of it.